The six best cheek sticks

Sali Hughes: 'A blusher stick is my default cheek colour for weekends, when I want to look nice but not like some lunatic alpha mum made up to the nines for the climbing wall Photograph: Rui Faria for the Guardian Rui Faria/Guardian

Few makeup items are as much fun as a blusher stick. There's something satisfyingly infantile about smearing colour on your cheeks with what is essentially an oversized bingo marker. It gives a pretty glow that looks more carefree than powder blush, a little less "done". It's my default cheek colour for weekends, when I want to look nice but not like some lunatic alpha mum made up to the nines for the climbing wall. Application is kids' stuff, too.

Many women avoid cream blusher because they think it'll cause spots, but this doesn't happen much. What is more likely is that it fades fast, making mid-day reapplication necessary. There are ways around this. I ignore accepted wisdom that cream blush goes under powder. Instead, I put on face powder first to give a matt, non-slippery base – it helps grip the colour and means the finished blush looks dewy, not dulled down through a gauze. Then I take my stick and dab directly on to the apples (the fat bits) of the cheeks. The round tip is your friend here, because all you need do then is blur the edge of the circle with your middle finger, feathering it outwards.

There are heaps of blusher sticks out for summer. Here are my favourite six.